Kristin Burgess

I am an adventure seeker, distance runner, animal activist, Reiki healer, free spirit and compassionate soul.

1. How long have you been vegan? 3 years vegetarian, 5 years vegan

2. What made you decide to go vegan? I was fascinated with the scientific studies I came across which showed the reversal of life-threatening illnesses such as Diabetes and Heart disease. I have long believed in food consumption as the primary determinant of one’s health. As a runner I read a lot about fueling for long races and came across articles discussing the benefits of plant based eating in regards to faster race times, significant decrease in injury and how an athlete’s recovery time was greatly decreased. This fascinated me as initially I was mistaught that meat and dairy were an essential part of one’s diet for optimal health, especially with exercising, when in fact it is the exact opposite. Simultaneously, I was learning even more about the absolutely horrifying cruelty involved with the dairy industry and so I quickly moved from vegetarian to vegan. I listen to various podcasts during my runs and found Rich Roll,(a vegan athlete, author and podcaster) and became motivated to remove animal products from my life completely. I no longer felt comfortable unnecessarily contributing to the pain and suffering of other beings, and realized that to truly be an animal lover, one cannot contribute to their suffering; one cannot eat them! In one podcast episode a documentary called ‘Earthlings’ was referenced and so I rented it one night. That same evening I cleaned out my kitchen of all animal products, literally dumping milk down the drain etc. No matter what it took it was deeply rooted in me that evening that never again would I buy, eat, consume animals, or their by-products ever again. The more I researched about veganism the more I realized that it checked all the boxes. It is about leading a life of love and compassion. It is about helping to heal our planet and ourselves. It is about reducing suffering in all the ways we can and it is not difficult, as I had convinced myself it would be. In fact, it is so rewarding to learn and navigate a new forward thinking path with the unlimited support of an active vegan online community. I know that I am here to raise the vibration of the planet. I will strive to always find a way to better myself. To soften my footprint on the planet. To continue to spread love and light with whomever I meet. Four legged, feathered, furry or scaled. Every living being has a soul and wants to live.

3. What are the benefits eating vegan have done for you? I feel more peaceful, less anxious, and clear minded. My energy is steady all day. I wake up rested and don’t feel fatigued or tired until bedtime. My skin is clearer. I rarely get sick. I can’t remember the last time I had a cold or the flu. My digestion is amazing. I feel overall more in touch with my body and at ease and clearer in my mind. I feel connected to nature and animals. I feel like I am a true friend and ally to all animals.

4. What did you find to be the biggest challenge of eating vegan? I knew no one that was vegan when I started! Literally no one. I relied heavily on the internet as a source for recipes and advice. I followed vegan podcasts for inspiration and watched all the documentaries I could get my hands on. Another challenge was finding recipes that I liked, that were easy and had ingredients I could easily source. I realized that there was a small vegan community in my city and that helped too. Meeting a vegan back then was a bit like seeing a unicorn! Very rare and exciting. To talk with other like minded people who had experiences and recommendations to share made me feel like I was a part of something big and wonderful and important.

5. What are your go to foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Everything! I am definitely a foodie. My favorites for breakfast options is a tofu and veggie scramble, blueberry muffins, bagel with tofu cream cheese, oatmeal with apples and cinnamon, So Delicious yogurt with strawberries and Little Lad’s granola mixed in. Lunch: Hummus and veggie wrap, bean and lentil soup, greens salad with sunflower seeds, burritos, veggie lo mein, Pho, vegan sushi. Dinner: Veggie Stir fry, mashed potatoes, dill carrots, Fried tofu, Oven roasted veggies, yams, brussel sprouts, lentils, noodle dish, zucchini spaghetti with artichokes and roasted red peppers. Anything with garlic!

6. Do you have a favorite cookbook, tip or recipe to share? I enjoy the Bosh cook books and their videos. Thug Kitchen cookbooks, there are 3 or 4 now all great. The minimalist baker is online and amazing for any desserts or sweet treats. Their cupcake recipe is amazing!
7. What is a website you would like to promote: Vegan Outreach. Their ‘10 weeks to vegan’ is amazing!! I wish I had known about this source when I was getting started. https://veganoutreach.org/mc10w/?tracking=VOSite&10 w_version=US_Canada
One Green Planet https://www.onegreenplanet.org Excellent for vegan recipes, stories on helping the planet, updates on green related progress, animal rescues and cute animal pics and stories. Reading the book “Finding Ultra” and Rich Roll’s website https://www.richroll.com/ and podcast have been my greatest inspiration.

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